Foldable or collapsible containers are useful in transporting and/or storing a variety of items or goods. In particular, such containers can be used to transport automotive (or other similar) parts.
Foldable containers take up less volume in a collapsed state. Accordingly, such containers can be more efficiently transported when empty. However, because the containers are collapsible, it is important that they are structurally sound during transportation, both in the unfolded, load carrying configuration, as well as in the collapsed or folded configuration.
In order to be foldable, the containers are formed to have a number of moving parts, such as side walls and end walls that collapse inwardly. To accomplish this, hinge elements are incorporated into the container. Such hinge elements have typically required one or more pins be inserted into the element to act as an axle.
In some known containers, certain of the hinge elements can be formed without a pin by creating axle nubs (e.g., partial cylindrical extensions) that extend from projections from one component of the container, that mate with a corresponding enclosure on another component. However, these are typically not as strong as having a complete axle extend through out the hinge element, and are prone to easily disengage during use.
A number of considerations are involved in designing and creating such foldable containers. These include cost of construction, number of parts, time and manpower required to assemble, time and manpower to fix or replace parts, cost of materials, strength, stability, etc.
The present invention is provided to solve the problems discussed and to provide advantages and aspects not provided by prior folding containers of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present invention is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.